Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-21

British empire, and hence they de-
signate the advocates of home rule as
Separatists. To an American the idea
and the fear are alike absurd. as home
rule, for which, in its Genesis. we were
indebted to England, ia Of the essence
Of our prosperity, unity, and freedom.
On March 18th Mr.. Gladstone, in de.
fining the Irish policy of the Liberal
party, said : "Our objects are at once
imperial and local. We mean
real effective self.government in at
fairs properly and exclusively Irish,
subject to the unquestionable supre-
macy OF the Imperial Parliament. In
his late great speech, on the Goth of
July, speaking of the Liberal Unionis.s
becoming most Thoroughbred sup
porters of the Tory Government, he
said: The whole source of their error
lies in one false opinion-viz., that we
are tearing to pieces the empire which
1t is the wish Of every man in this room,
with all his heart and soul and strength,
to compact together and to CONSOLE
date. Thus defined, "home rule
for Ireland under conditions which
shall not impair the integrity of the
empire is paramount consideration
with the Liberals. TO charge them
with favoring the separation or indie
pendence of Ireland is an "absurd
deluslon or partisan fabrication for
electloneering purposes.
Outside of the Irish question and its
DnYtalotoo al, fs1,, 4 bal ,I,N..
onces between Conservatives and Libe-
rails. On one side are "the classes"
the champions of monopoly and privi-
lege 4; on the other "the masses" and
the friends of liberty. The latter al
lege-this writer expresses no opinion
that the former give too exclusive at
tention and regard to the interests of
property, to vested rights, to the ne
lect and impairment of every other hui
man interest.
!. The principle claimed for Ireland
has wider extension and the Liberal
party insists upon larger application
Of local government, so as to relieve the
congestion in Parliament and train the
people in self-government-the extern
sion to the rural districts of the full
powers Of self-government which are
enjoyed in the townsville giving to
London those advantages of a we'll
organized municipal administration
which are common to all other great
towns and cities. so as to make London
q genuine municipality and give Lon
doners some really efficient control over
their own affairs.
2. A searching reform of the House
of Lords.
s. Regulation Of the liquor traffic in
accordance with the opinions and con-
victioDs of great majority OF the COM
munity.
4. Uniform residential suffrage, I'M
accompanied by those property fran
chiscs which give to certain favored
people two. three, five, and sometimes
even dozen votes apiece as against
their ncighbOr's one. The tendency is
toward universal or manhood suffrage
tie Golden rule of one man one vote.
Ills involves an improved registration
act
3. A reduction of the period OF resi-
derce required to qualify for suffrage, |
which now is so long as to be equiva-
lent to Il Wholesale disfranchisement of
tie working classes.
c. Removal of the great and crying (;
grievance of ecclesiastical privilege, /
against which Wales nearly unani-
Gously and in vain protests. The sue !
,ess of the Liberals would bring discs
to the front. 1t has been
shelved, but will be vigo-
Iously revived. The principle estab-
ishod in Ireland will be applied in
Wales. Scotland will next follow, and
hen England. The consequent and
ogical abandonment will be "the
ub." Eight tcnths of the Liberals
ayor general disestablishment, and on
hat subject Bright and Chamberlain
ne unalterably committed. l..